Week 10 EOC: Things I have yet to do

For my final project for Business of Photography class, I still need to do the following to be certain it is complete and turned in on time.
 Here goes, I need to:

• Need to make a Fax Page
• Need to make a Letter Head
• Need to make an entire page of business cards, not just my single ones I use
• Need to make sure all my tweets and up to date, currently they are
• Need to make sure I got all my quotes in place
• Buy more paper holders to display work
• Print all blog photo challenges in color
• Make sure all my blogs are approximately 300 words each
• Make sure I show up to class that day 
• Make sure I bring my portfolio for review and grading

This is pretty much the remainder of what I have to do to finish my project. As long as I keep at it, it is still manageable and I wont fall behind but if I goof off any, I might be in the hurt box for sure. Just need to do a little bit each day before next Monday and it should be easy.

Week 8 EOC: Bang Bang Club

“There was lots of outgoing fire,” he said. “No one tells you how dramatic massive amounts of machine gun fire is. In photos you just see the puff from the barrel. But when you are there, it’s incredibly shocking and dramatic. I realized that, as someone who was very green, I could not handle the outgoing, much less the incoming. So I decided it was best to leave it to the guys who know what they are doing. I thought, ‘I should leave this to someone with insurance and a guarantee to publish the pics.’ As a freelancer, I just could not do it.” (http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/young-in-libya/, Ty Cacek)

I found the movie “The Bang Bang Club” to be exceptionally well done. The being based on a true story, made it even better for me. The movie was able to portray the true-life experiences of four combat photographers capturing the final days of apartheid in South Africa. From the highs of winning three Pulitzer Prizes to the lows of a suicide and a murder amongst the group. The movie stays on focus showing you how harrowing the life of a Conflict Photographer could be.

"It's a very intimate thing," said Lyon. "What we're talking about here, in essence, is a relationship — a relationship with danger, a relationship with death, in some cases. A relationship with adrenaline. A relationship with intensity of experience. (http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2011/05/09/136053477/the-perilous-job-of-conflict-photography, Santiago Lyon is director of photography for The Associated Press)

Being that I have been in situations where I have shot at and experiences from growing, I think I could actually work as a Conflict Photographer. In fact it actually has stirred an interest and I will investigate the possibilities in the near future with my graduation coming up. I would do it for the sake of bring the news and conflict to the people, you can keep the awards, well maybe not the award money.

"Breaking News Photography, previously called Spot News Photography – for a distinguished example of breaking news photography in black and white or color, which may consist of a photograph or photographs, a sequence, or an album." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulitzer_Prize)

Week 7 EOC: Adult Content

I have never really had much of an opinion of adult content in art other than what I view as being artistic (appropriate) and the other just being pornographic (inappropriate) in nature. I know one view of adult content by most people is that it is content, such as pornography or violence, which is not generally thought to be appropriate for viewing by children. This would include such things as Hustler magazine, XXX videos, and anything else that shows gratuities sex scenes or gratuities amounts of male or female genitals. Think Playboy vs. Hustler magazine. Playboy would be considered, in my opinion, more artistic in nature due to the way the images are taken. The composition, the lighting and how the images are edited in post all suggest art, an appreciation for the female form and its body. Where you take something like Hustler and explicit imaging of models genitals and acts of an intimate nature between a man and woman just for the sake of it, with no artistic approach or value to it. This I consider inappropriate for art and don’t see value to it. To each their own I guess but some things should just be left for ones private life and the other to be celebrated and appreciated like true art should be.

Now when it comes to my work, I will do nudes but I do them with a purpose or a theme. Not just to do a nude, without rhyme or reason other than to see a pair of breasts. We are all adults and should behave and act as such while working. As a habit, also generally do not take full nudes, usually just implied nudes and topless, since I feel it is easier to justify why I want such poses from my models. Models I work with are made aware of this and I usually receive more respect and cooperation from models after they find out my view on adult content and that I am not  just being another pervert with a camera.

Week 06 EOC: How has art changed you

For me, Photography and Art have changed my life mainly in two aspects. First, it has taught me how to appreciate time. Second, it has taught me how to focus myself and to notice things. Coming from a family where I was the only child and often times mentally and physically abuse for just being alive. Photography helped me escape one reality and exchange it for a far better one.

First, time used to be a measurement of getting from one place to another. For most people, it’s about always being “on the move,” striving to get ahead of the pack, just trying to stay alive. For me, now, time is spent much differently. I spend my time trying to take in my surroundings with a more discerning consciousness, and attempting to look and see everything that I can at any given moment. Time is more than time passing me by, or a clock ticking from one hour to the next, time is a place and fact that I use to merge into my ability to see and look in advance, in why I would approach my subject matters, and how I would use that time to my advantage to capture the image that I’ve visualize.

For sure, every photographer worth his or her salt, needs to know about and how to use proper focus; but I’m also talking about focus in relationship to personal focus. Focus on your camera’s battery, focus on your camera settings, focus on your subject, focus on your environment, and even focus on your time management. It’s not always about taking the picture, but as importantly the process of how you’re going to do so–the post processing, marketing, mounting, and all else that keeps us photographers concerned about and why we are passionate about taking pictures. This list is interminable, and goes on and on.

Week 05 EOC: Best Part of My Business Plan

"Aperture Solutions will help our clients to look their up most best; will keep their head shots and portraits up-to-date and accessible.

All of our photos are created in a high-resolution digital format, from which our prints are made. Since the Internet and commonly used printers typically use the lower-resolution 300 dpi format, 300 dpi digital files are available to clients for a nominal charge. Higher-quality digital photos and prints carry full pricing. We will retain the high-resolution data and clients can order more prints from us if they wish.

Our photo studio includes quality props for portraits and fashion/glamour, and head shot photography. The physical environment of the studio is fun, accessible, clean and modern, making it a perfect choice to rent by non-studio owners and freelance photographers. We also go periodically to people’s homes and on location shoots, bringing cameras and lights that are out of the budget of non-professionals.

Our products include: Head Shots, Model’s Portfolio and Glamour Shots, and Individual Portraits.
Our specialty is head shots. We have a unique combination of props and style for head shots. All of our Photos are suitable for magazine publication.Individual portraits are commonly needed for individual and business websites, business cards, brochures, High School Senior Year Book and annual reports.

The competition for portrait photography is divided into several categories: First, Award-winning photographers are those who routinely deliver magazine-quality photographs. Their work is highly creative and spontaneous instead of routinely posing shots. They are rare and highly expensive. Second, these are professional-quality photographers, like us, who use a lot of posed shots. Most of the competition falls into this category. Third, are Amateur Photographers who use low quality products to charge low prices."

Week 04 EOC: Peering into the Future

When I am 50 years old, I will be an established Travel and Glamour Photographer based out of Los Angeles, Ca. Living somewhere on or around Main Street in Huntington Beach, just a block or two from the ocean.

I will be working as a staff photographer for Maxim Magazine or an equivalent periodical and also working as a local freelance photographer, catering to Zed Cards and doing head shots for the entertainment industry and doing glamour and fashion photography for local model’s portfolios. I will work both of these jobs for about 10 to 11 months out of the year and then I will be go abroad to work as a freelance travel photographer for the other 1 to 2 months of the year. When I return from my travels I can host an exhibition showcasing my work and then sell the images to travel magazines, newspapers and to stock photo companies such as Getty Photos.

I want to have the ability to come and go, to work on travel projects as I see fit and as I can afford to fund them until I sell the images to the appropriate companies to turn a profit for my time and energy. Basically my career would be complete if I could just work ten months out of the year for someone else or myself and then traveling for the rest of the year. Making just enough money to pay all the bills and be comfortable. I did need tons of money; just enough to be comfortable and to build a retirement portfolio I can actually survive on when it’s time for me to retire and just run a small freelance studio out of my home until the day I can’t pick up a camera any longer. Course that will probably be the day I die.  

Week 03 EOC: National Geographic Photo Critique

 

I chose this National Geographic Photograph as a personal favorite for various reasons. First, the contrast throughout the image is superb. The lights and shadows really make this picture stand out to me. Second, the colors are vivid and make the photograph jump off the page in conjunction with the contrast. The image may show cave explorers repelling down into a large cavern in the ground, receding into virtual darkness but the way the light is captured in this image, you don't appear to notice that aspect. You mainly concentrate your attention on the flora, the rocks, and the mist raining down from a nearby stream/river/ or waterfall. All the water coming in forms its own cascading waterfall falling even deeper into the unknown. You can tell that the shot was taken with just available light, a wide aperture (probably f1.4 or f1.2) and a slow shutter speed. You can tell it’s a slow shutter speed do to the misting/blurring affect of the water in the waterfall. The depth of field is shallow, with slight blurring of the surroundings and background starting just a few meters from the camera lens. It isn’t blatantly apparent since most of your field of view is located in the dark crevice extending downward.

Week 02 EOC: La Dolce Vita

Federico Fellini's internationally popular film La Dolce Vita, Italian for "The Sweet Life,” made in 1960, coined the name “paparazzi” for the pesky freelance photographers shown in the movie. I believe the movie justly named the photographers for what they were, oversize mosquitos or parasites if you prefer. I think the movie adequately predicted how the paparazzi would evolve into the nuisance they are today for the rich and famous alike. The paparazzi antagonize and manipulate people into doing things in front of the camera that they normally wouldn’t do, all in the name of getting the shot. They will chase celebrities in cars and act recklessly trying to photograph the celebrity. Look at what happened to Princess Dianna. If it weren’t for the paparazzi, she would quit possibly still be alive today continuing to do good things around the world. The paparazzi have no shame and no ethics as far as I am concerned and I would rather never take another photograph again then act like them and jeopardize my integrity.

As for the photo assignment this week, to photograph our self as a paparazzo in the field, I plan to keep it simple. I plan to try doing it two different ways. First I want to find a party or events were paparazzi might be and photograph the scene. Then I plan to take a self portrait wearing all black and carrying a camera bag and camera and edit myself into the picture as if I was there the whole time harassing whatever celebrities that may have been there. The second shot I might try is to actually join the paparazzi on whatever red carpet event they are on and photograph myself in the crowd with them or have another photographer help me by taking a picture of me in the paparazzi crowd acting like one of them.

Week 1 EOC: Stallions not Unicorns

The photography career that I want to do most is actually a two-part career. For most of the year, say ten months, I would like to work for a magazine company doing Glamour Photography, something along the lines of Maxim or FHM would be perfect for my style of photography. The rest of the year I want to be able to make enough money from the job at Maxim to be a Travel Photographer working freelance or for the Marriot Corporation or Travel and Leisure Magazine. Traveling around the world photographing the Marriot’s various resorts for travel guides and company brochures. I have a strong grasp of composition and style when it comes to taking both Glamour and Travel style photographs. I have the experience and eye needed for Glamour Photography and I work well with models in a studio environment and location shooting.

For Travel Photography, I enjoy the challenge of trying to capture the perfect shot with just natural lighting and/or just using a flash as your only source of additional illumination. Sometimes finding that perfect shot is all about luck and other times, its all about understanding your environment and knowing to look for the signs of a promising shot versus that of a regular person just pointing and clicking with their camera. 

I would consider working both of these jobs as my one unicorn job. It would be a great accomplishment for myself to be able to do these and make a living at doing them. I would be able to express my creative side and travel the world, as I have always wanted to do. I couldn’t think of a more perfect union of jobs to make the one perfect job.

Week 1 EOC: My Voice

My name is Joaquin Lares and photography is something that instills great passion in me. I describe myself as essentially a travel photographer with a strong interest in portraiture. I am currently based in the Las Vegas, Nevada area.

My interest in this addicting medium began in my early teens when I was able to buy my first Canon SLR camera and I have had a love affair with photography ever since. Photography is my way down the rabbit hole, my looking glass. I use photography as a means of self-expression – I make pictures for myself, to identify with the hidden qualities of my character, to better understand my reality, and to express my interpretation of the world around me. A clearer understanding of myself and of my world allows me to explore fragments of life as an abstract form, and also to interact with people I would otherwise not be able to engage with. My goal is to use my camera like Alice’s rabbit hole, to open an unexplored world, a place of curious self-expression, but also a world of new relationships, new chances, new beginnings, and most importantly new stories.

My choice of subject comes from a place of intuition and is fueled by an insatiable desire to partake in the stories that unfold around me. Being able to travel and experience new places and people, satisfy my wanderlust and furthers my understanding of my reality. I know that I can be colorful and I know that I can be gray in my interpretation of the world but to experience life as those indigenous people I visited and shared their culture with, without bias, can and has been truly rewarding. I have traveled abroad and have seen and experienced many things in the name of photography and adventure. From walking the streets of lost Pompeii to watching the sunset over a sunken volcano in Santorini, Greece. You can truly appreciate how fleeting and persistently life is, but with my camera I am able to capture these special moments in time so that others can experience them visually.

During my studies to broaden and deepen my understanding of photography, I have developed skills and an appreciation for portrait photography with an emphasis on Fashion and Glamor styles. Just like with any other looking glass, there are always other angles and directions one can look. Keeping my focus straight-ahead and narrowed doesn’t allow me to better understand my reality but makes it stagnate and it chokes the creative process. Portrait photography lets me tap my inner child, the creative side of me. It lets me be bold and expressive, limited only by physics and my own imagination. If that isn’t living and exploring your own reality, then I missed a turn somewhere. Before this show, this life is over and the storybook closes, I plan to walk among giants in this field.